That KIA badge turns people off. Once synonymous with crappy little Korean cars, that emblem is the last remaining visual vestige of a fledgling car company that no longer exists. And it would be so damn easy to change!

But no. There it sits, reminding the young up-and-comers who are likely drooling over the new 2018 Stinger’s design of that rusty old Sephia or Spectra they drove in college, the one they couldn’t wait to get rid of once they landed a real job and could afford a respectable car that people would not ridicule.

Obviously, today, Kia is capable of building sex on wheels. Just look at the Stinger! Rakishly handsome, definitively upscale, and practical enough to double for family car duty, this car is the antidote to crossover SUV delirium for which driving enthusiasts and image makers have been waiting.

What We Think

With promised room for up to five people, the larger cargo space and utility that a hatchback can provide, available all-wheel drive, and Nurburgring-honed driving dynamics, the 2018 Kia Stinger is the all-weather luxury performance vehicle for people who don’t give a crap what other people think.